7. December, Present Day

CHAPTER 7

DECEMBER, PRESENT DAY

A ndi’s stomach roiled as she listened to Juniper. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the horror the woman must have felt after finding her parents dead like that.

She swallowed hard, dreading the question she had to ask next. But she had to be thorough. Skirting around difficult topics wouldn’t help them find any answers.

“Juniper, I hate to ask you this.” Andi licked her lips. “I really do. But . . . their hair . . .”

Tears glimmered in Juniper’s eyes. “It had been cut off at the scalp and placed on a snowman. The memory of that . . . it’s probably what haunts me the most.”

That was this killer’s pattern, hence his nickname as the December Dismemberer. He always cut off part of his victims—their hands, ears, feet, eyes, or hair. He then built a four-foot snowman and added a real body part. It was his calling card of sorts.

Profilers had tried to detail why someone might do that. The thought was gruesome and strange, most likely meant to send a message more than anything else.

Andi shifted as she carefully considered her next words. “I’ve read the police reports and the newspaper articles, but I’d like to hear this next part from you directly. Is there anyone you think could be guilty?”

Juniper let out a long breath before inhaling deeply. “That’s all I’ve been thinking about for the past year. Who could have done this? I mean, it had to be someone familiar with my parents and where they lived.”

“Do you feel as if they were targeted in particular?” Duke asked. “There were guests here at the time. This guy could have chosen anyone. Was it just chance he chose your parents?”

“I thought about that too.” Juniper frowned and rubbed Tundra’s head as the dog sat faithfully beside her. “I really do believe my parents were targeted.”

“Why do you think that?” Andi asked.

She sighed. “I don’t know, really. Maybe it’s instinct. Maybe it’s the fact that this killer came all the way out here, to the middle of nowhere, to execute his crimes. I’m not sure, really.”

“This may or may not be relevant.” Andi leaned forward. “But did they have any enemies that you know of?”

She knew her question was a longshot. If this crime had been a one and done, then yes, maybe one of Juniper’s parents’ enemies was responsible. But what were the chances that all seven victims had the same enemy?

It didn’t make sense.

However, Andi had a hard time believing these victims were all chosen randomly. Clearly there was some type of connection—no matter how random—between the victims.

Andi and her team just had to figure out what.

This location was so secluded . . . it seemed odd to think that a stranger would come all the way out here, commit the crime, and then get away without being caught or seen by anyone.

Especially since there was a lodge and other cabins nearby with staff members and guests.

Why take such a risk?

Juniper slowly released her breath. “I suppose my parents did have a few enemies. The ones who come to mind are the Klinkharts.”

“Who are the Klinkharts?” Andi stored that name away.

“Peppermint’s parents.”

Andi’s eyebrows shot up. “I see.”

“Her parents were best friends with my parents. From the time I was born until about six years ago, we did everything together. Peppermint is . . .” Juniper’s voice faded. “Peppermint was their daughter.”

Her face crumpled with grief.

Andi swallowed the lump in her throat. “We can take a break. No one will blame you, especially after what happened today.”

“No, I want to keep going.” Juniper drew in a shaky breath as she composed herself. Then she blew the air from her lungs and started again. “When my parents decided to open this place, the Klinkharts wanted to go in with them. In fact, my dad discovered this property while he was hunting in the area with Heath—Peppermint’s dad. There were caribou here, and my dad’s imagination started running wild.”

“He visualized what this place could become, it sounds like,” Andi said.

“Yes, he did. My dad loved Christmas and thought they could bring it to life here.”

“So why not go in with the Klinkharts?” Duke crossed his arms as he waited for her answer.

“My parents thought it was a bad idea.” Juniper blew out a breath. “From what I understand, it was partially because they didn’t believe in mixing business and pleasure. But I also heard my parents talking once about how Heath, the father, didn’t make wise money decisions. And Claire, the mother, was a bit of a gossip.”

“I can see where they’d want to decline,” Andi said.

“When my parents told the Klinkharts they wanted to go solo, the news wasn’t received well. I think Heath and Claire thought they’d be shoo-ins. From what I understand, they were having some financial issues and saw this camp as a solution to the problems they’d created. They were really upset.”

“What did they do?” Andi asked.

“They cut off their friendship with my parents and started badmouthing them around town. It was ugly. I remember my mom was especially upset about how quickly Claire had turned on her. She’d considered her a sister.”

“Are the Klinkharts still in the Fairbanks area?” Andi asked.

“No, they moved down to Seattle a few months before my parents were murdered.” She shrugged. “They bought some kind of screen-printing business or something.”

“You haven’t seen them since then?”

“Not really. I did hear they come back to visit sometimes. Someone said they were asking around town about Peppermint. But Peppermint didn’t want to talk to them.”

“Things were pretty ugly between them, huh?”

“They fought all the time.” Juniper shrugged. “I know that might not be much help, but they’re really the only ones I know of who had a beef with my parents.”

That really wasn’t much to go on, especially if they were in Seattle.

Andi had one theory brewing in her mind. This place employed seasonal employees. Many who worked at places like this could be found on a webservice that was targeted at young people who wanted to travel. Ski resorts, lodges, national parks even, utilized this service to find workers.

She only knew that because of a friend of hers while growing up in Texas owned a dude ranch. That was how her family had found the help they needed.

What if each of the victims had some type of interaction with a seasonal worker? One of the victims had actually been a guest here at the camp three years ago.

However, only two victims had traveled to any resorts in recent years.

This whole case felt like a wild goose chase. But Andi liked a good challenge, and that was exactly what she was getting right now.

Just then, Tundra let out a low growl.

Duke slowly turned to glance behind him.

What was the dog growling at?

He saw nothing.

“Tundra, it’s okay,” Juniper murmured.

Though her words sounded reassuring, her skin looked pale again, and her arms shook.

The dog’s reaction had scared her, even if she didn’t admit it.

“Let me go check things out,” Duke said. “Just to be on the safe side.”

Ranger joined him, heading toward the bedrooms.

They quickly perused the downstairs of the house but saw no one.

Then Duke glanced outside.

Again, he saw no one.

That was good news, he supposed. But still, the dog’s reaction was unnerving.

What did Tundra see that they couldn’t?

“I don’t see anyone out there,” Duke told everyone as he stepped back toward the group.

Juniper let out a breath. “Good to know. See? I told you, Tundra.”

Andi seemed to pick up on that fact that Juniper needed a break. “What if we get back to this again later?”

Juniper didn’t argue. “Yes, maybe we should do that. I need to show you where you’re staying. Then I probably need to manage a few things here at the camp. I’ve gotten some text messages, and several of our guests and employees are upset. I should handle that.”

It was a lot of pressure for a nineteen-year-old. Duke hoped the woman’s uncle would help her.

But he didn’t envy the position she was in. Not at all.